Electrode for electrolytic or liquid oscillation-detectors for wireless telegraphy.



' PATENTED JULY 2a 1908 v L. 1) BEST. I \JELEGTRODE FOR ELECTROLYTIC LI ,O'SOILLATION DETECTORS FOR-WIRELESS TEL APHY. APPLICATION II LBI') DEC. 21. 1906.

'gya considerably e-latt n b3 were I-GORI ORM O OF NEW-YORK.

ficz t ofimm December 21,1995. s -mm. 2921-6215 TTi-DE fisREsi l eletrolym; bnmilned in a vesseh was used as the Inatrgal $61 $11!: covermg plates, "because itis asu'bstance not readiiy a Hracked by any chQmicalQsOlution Isisvthe liqu ld eleq'bfelyte I 'vVmle thls QQVLCG'OF" amt-ed satisfactoril lt was not permanent lyt-e. Furtherniom,

The n-.-

eafli a squ ,t-o act} thrdugh the 'cemen s-unon other parts of the metal plate; than, the thin exposed edge Sheregfi, and thus Was of t'nekzonductm tip the:

piatei'orm 0f the iigs'uiated smafl e-xpesed aged electrodg type, pmsesses. s0 many 'a'ib vantages over Other forms ;of. insuiaied form 6 thgifn it might be very dprabze, in ac]; 11121011350 bemgjefnctent 1n operationjand ibis 1 Qlec-ti'oly tle arnish act upbnfa'q'y other parts plate with vglass, w

glass, than ihere? at its extreme e demonstrated that m that investigation.

shearing off the end of the c lindrical wire to obtain a V-s ha ed end whic 1 might be thin e, but this device did not possess all the a vantages of the-thin .flat plate form. i In the'workof covering 0 lindric'al wires with lass so that the latera surface of the end 0 the wire is covered with glass, lea

only the end'surface of the wire expose there have been discovered certain matters which I came to believe might be useful in connection with a solution of the old problem,

- as in my prior double-plate device, of coversealed directly to the glass, in order to ob 'viate the necessity for presence'of foreign insulating cement in addition to the glass,

. of glass worki between the liquid and parts of the flat plate other than its thin exposed edge. The art teaches that the metals best adapted for sea ng with glass are those which have substantially the same coefficient of ex ansion as glass, such as latinum or tanta um. Inconnection wit1 my investiga tions connected with the workof covering cylindrical wires with glass, it was found that p atinum could be used with success for the purpose of sealing the glass and wire together "to properly insulate the latter, ro-

vided that the platinumwas used in a 'orm. having sufficiently large cross-sectional dimensions.

In pursuance of the art of metal-working, I have obtained the metal latinum in the form of a .fl'at foil plate, and ave found that this provides a suitable thin edge for se in the insulation-covered t pe of electroile for oscillation detectors, wien combined with an insulating covering in pursuance of the present invention, as hereinafter s coined..- have found that lplatinum is, of a1 metals whichma be'sea ed with lass, especially desirable or use as the flat Foil plate or ribbon conductor, because its fusing point is so high that it does not change its shape when subjected to the-high temperature required to efi'ect-the seal with lassfwhereasi othei' metals otherwise suitabl e,"such as tantalum,

might have so low a fusing point thatwhen' used in the form of a flat foil sheet or ribbon, for sealing with glass, they might be fused into undesirable shapes when attempted to be sealed with the glass.

wishto be lin'utedto the use of platinum, be-

I donot however,

glass covering for the.

cause other conductors, (metals or otherwise),

might be 'selected which would give equally suitable insulants.

Of the drawin s, Fi ure 1 is a longitudinal section of the at late electrode and its chuck, before the plate is covered with insulation to constitute an electrode of the insulation covered type of the prior art; Fig. 2 is a similar section froma view-point ninety de ees from that of Fig. 1, as indicated at 2 in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a lon itudinal section of a at foil plate; Fig. 4 shows in longitudinal section, an incomplete assembly of the glass covering of Fig. 3, with the parts of Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 5 is asinnlar view of, thearts of Fi 4, showin the complete assem ly, aftert e lass sea in operation; Fig. 6 is a view of t e device s iown in Fig. 5, from a view-point ninety de ees from that of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a plan of t e bottom of the insulation-covered electrode of Figs. 5 and 6, looking upwards; and Fi 8 is a transverse section throu h the device of Fig. 1

along the line X- As a result of my study of this problem, I have been able to obtain a device which opgood results, either with glass or with other i erates fully as efliciently as my double plate device of the prior art above referred to,'and

.which possesses the additional quality of being permanently durable. It perfectly fulfils the functions of the prior device, and at the same timeisvery much more durable as to its continuing effective operation.

In Fig. 1, B is a smallchuck "of conducting metal such as brass, l'OYldt l with screwthreads or other suitab e meal 5 T, for ada iting it to be secured in good conducting re ation with the electric circuit, and sup )orted in the usual vessel containing the liquid electrolyte of the detector. This chuck B is provided witha projecting part A of smaller diameter and forming the shoulder S, and this part A is provided with a transverse slot H, a l as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 8. Around the part A, under the shoulder S, some sealing wax L is placed for a purpose to be described hereinafter. P is thethin flat narrow conducting plate or ribbon of a. corldue-' tor such as the metal platinum,'for the"reasons given above. This "late P hasits upper end inserted in the slot 1 wherein it may be secured, as by the solder ll. E is the thin edge of the end of the plate, and in pursuance of the invention, the construction is to be such that only this edge E'is to be exposed in the liquid electrolyte, as was the case-with myprior double-plate device described above. 'The plate P is continuous, from its upper end which is secured in the chuck B, to its lower edge E whlchis to be left exposed. By thus making theplatc continuous, there is ()lWJ- 'ated the joint between two parts extending below the chuck B, and the cmisequent desirability in the latter case, of having a lenot er? chuckito permit the itehtenlng up oft e two perts tepjieyent, undue-strains uponutheir Y 136' t of ji lncture'j The'plitte B'maybe about 'lohgjabout a thirty-second ofah lneh wider, and in pursuance of the metalkiqgfart; is rolledaml hammered out to rdoobleplete' gleyic'e described 1 above. 1 'loll 1s" common and well known-1n the These (limenslons may; vary, bece'use it or ke jt-he greater may be the; width of the plate 'pursuz' neefef thepriof'aiit'of the'iinuletioii-coverecl type .of; r'e'stricted -areaed t-i'o deslfor wireless I telegrei'phy detectors,

llselosledin the "prior potent above re- 3 is.sl1o\v11fthegenerally cylindrical cOY-rlI1 j- OI: duct of glas-s folithe Tlus covermg 1s clrc umlere tlelly p r tlon -s' u-h'stitulte-;in connection with the flat plate mform .ot the insulation, covered type of elecitro en-fo (l 1e two-flat plates of glass hereto- 5 fbiehsbihh me; The (that Dniay formed A byftlrawmg'out as quickly as'possible,"af glass (tube? it'hlcl kepthot as possible in at l f "les s-bloo el t l:1n1e.' This' 're sults in the "shown, wherein below the upper straight o f-tho tluct'l) there is first an abrupt taper, which extends; into" m mdum taper. Thetuhe froin which the duct is drawn is-cut e 16ken' otf4to' form' the duct with the small opening 0 itsloWerend, the Walls of 'thiilfi'ess they be" obtained to it large degree 1 lthe'furthei'saetion upon ,t hejdeviee' hereirh afterto fhej tleserihecll Ge'nerallythe-butside-I11 iemetrical..tlimenslons- (if the lower end of-[thal ium at o,;-'win be about a thirt r wi'clthof the flat/plate P. Y jiFlg-i.,4= shows the pert"D'attaehe(l tothe l B,;by being sealed thereto untlerthe u'ldeiQS, hy 'the sealing Wax-LL "The ar'tllfm'ay bea little lo'ngerthen the, flat late: P; etul just-so lrluohz 1011549, that by l "theses-l ing ohemtioh; it moyjbe fixedso thlet l 60 thefloweii jen l otthepert D is flush with the e lge E ofthe lower entlof the plate P;

e we t 1e gletinumio'f Which-the f gitudinal perforationvelltirely' throu hi th'e H 1 alpjlete of metal foilQhs hr the cat-so of my 1i n1'1'erthe-foil 'isf'preperegl by the metal cohti -ttous'fan-tl constitutes'the i'mprovetl' upper: part bon of'foil P is composed, hesa. very high ffiisihg-poiht, that part keeps its shape durin enthe fter the glass sealing operation; "athou'gh it'woul-cl shrivel p and its thin edge E be destroyed it a metal were used which plate P after the seeling'opemtion. :"But th'e of? the sea-ling, a curious c longe'of shape Not only (lothe wells the duct become "thinner to form thefglobule G- leoth above figuration of: thethiet above the glohuleg as well as its interior configuration ohove' the globule, conforms to the rectan ular of the plate P. cross-section of the glass (loot eorrespo'h cl with amt oonfo r nl to the flat shape of'the the Well of the glass pert D shovethe glohhle' flat surfaces of the plate; and. also at the globhle portion; there is, less 'thi'cltliessof glass over the longitudinal edges of the plat 1 than there is ever thegllet surfaces of the. plate. "'lhe configuration is note-Mays syhi metrical, as departures ere sometimes calused by varying conditions (bf-manufacture. The general result was surprising, as it was not be by sealing to it a -c vlhlrlricolglass (tUOl'QsU as to I'eeve only the thin end and no other pore tlon's of the flat plate exposed. Apparently the longitudinal edges of the plate 1 as shown 111 Fig 5, 1t seems always 'to be conof the. plate within the duct And although 1n illenteter-tlmn the Wll'lth of the e lgeE of the plate P, fnetertheless there seems to he always snlhcient glass ehov'e and helowthe glohule (l to oompletel co'i ert-he lower part eml being exposed from the'gla-ss; although otthe part Dhelow the glohhle is sethih,

glass is llrewnhpwa'rdlyto formtheglohnlo'; thetno gas :huhhles can remain on the entl. of the glass, as they (lidlli my "old (louhleglass-plate form} to injurloizsly affect the efllciency of the device. I The glass covering loes however, extend Me I fewt =7 eco'i nes thinner 21nd,

had a; low fusing point. Ihere is apparently (no observable (lilferencle m the shapeof the" -conductor. "Furthermore as :1 "eilerelrhle- J v 2) J G is thinner along the longitudinal edges of the plete Pt/han it is along thelongitudinal -v alieved until after extensive experimentaltlon} .thet'a fiat platecouhl be properly covered no matter how thin. the resulting}; drowndown well of glass above the globule G along] .nving: to the fact that a largehortioz l' ofthe tirely (lown "to the glass duct- 1) thereby under oes, as It result from its cylindrical form of circular crosssectlon, although, the thmg once accon1- phshed, the change seems to beloggcel;

and .lbelow that glohule bm the ,outer coIi-w I tinuous and unbroken so'thet tl'whliqticl electrolyte cannot ohtem access to the parts the opening 0 and the outside diameter ,o f the pert-l 'tl'wreet, are only sllghtly greater of the pleteexceptt to edge E," no parts the lcmgtltuthnel edges of the plate 'neiutfits" 120- the entire edge E is exposed. But ,the'ti ell plate. This provid s a structure which is into the it will be inoperative.

wide (a thirty-second of an inch or more),

certain to shed all bubbles of gas. In case the glass covering does not extend entirely down to the edge E, owing to accidental causes in manufacture, so as not to cover up all the'plateP except the edge and protect the plate from the liqmd el ,tro yte, the electrode must be thrown away a ter manufacture, as The plate P is so and therefore has so much surface area for an extremely short lengthgthat if any part of it projected out beyond the glass, so that when supported in the usualvessel, it would project even very slightly into the liquid, the device would be inoperative, and would not be included in the class ofinsulation-covered restrictedareaed electrodes of. the prior art.

I have found it to be. a fact that an electrode for oscillation detectors of the non-insulated type which is so extremely fine or which has such extremely small cross-sectional dimensions, that it will be 0 rative when it projects even the sli htest tance iquid, cannot'be sea ed with glass, because owing to its extreme fineness it lwould be fused and destroyed by the heat sions that it woul slightest (portion of its length projected into requiredfor such sealin In order to be successfully sealed with (g ass without fusion and destruction, to pro uce an electrode of the insulation-covered type, the conductor must havesuch la e cross-sectional dimenbe inoperative 1f the the liqui so that it might have any'len th or extent of immersion other than-that 0 it's hf the shown .to be operative,

covering, to the thin edge of the flame, end on,

thin edge area. Therefore, in pursuance of this invention, the cross-sectional dimensions, of the fiat plate are necessarily so large, in.

order to be successfully sealed with the glass, that the device will be inoperative unless the exposed area is restricted, by the insulation 7 plate, without any immersion of any part 0 Elate, t 'e broad surfaces of which would, vice to.be inoperative. The sealing together of the glass art D and the'pl'ate P is best accomplished y-su c cessiv s ort applications in a glass blowers o the flush ends of said parts. These successive a plications should be continued until the device b actual "test, is his electrode is adapted for use asthe anode of the detector, as known to those skilled in the art.

In viewof the abovadescription, it is clear that my improiditfllgfimfl obviates the dethe length venihg foreign su expos id to the liquid, cause the defects as to.lack of; 'permanent,'durability of my prior device having the thinmetal plate covered with two separate fiat plates of lass cemented together. The liquid-electro yte cannot penetrate theglass wh ch entirely covers up the lower part of the plate P, and the sealing wax L plate of any liquid w 'ch might creep sides of the there is very ittle chance of liquid creeping revents access to the qpth art D.j As 'a matter 0 fact up so far as that, but in order to be certain" .that' no liquid electrolyte may reach the chuck B', the duct D is usually supported in: the vessel so that the level .of the liquid is far below the seal L. Other than this consideration there is no limit to the length of the glass pal-rt D which may extend into the vessel, since the exposed edge E of the plate P requires no ad ustment, as in the case with the extremely fine uninsulated type of electrode,

but has its entire area constantly exposedto the liquid. The duct D is laterally continuf-w ous, as distinguished from m double-plate form, and so the duct itse entirel surrounds the surfaces and edges of the p ate P.

I claim: 1. An electrode of the insulation-covered type, for a detector of wireless telegra hy oscillations or other feeble electrical 1m 1 pulses, which comprises a thin flat plate'conforming a shoulder between the portions of different diameters, to which chuck said flat plate conductor is retained in good elec-- trical contact therewith; a glass duct 0 n '08 ductor; a metallic chuck of two diameters at both ends and laterally continuous so t at the duct itself entirely surrounds the longitudinal surfaces andedges of said conductor,

said duct being attached at one end to the shouldered portion of .said chuck, the other end of said duct being flush with theend of said conductor, and said duct having a thin gansion and su ciently large cross-sectional I imensions for sealing with lass sealed with the thin wall of t e glass duct at their ad'acent lateral surfaces next their flush; ends, directl ,and without any interstance, so that only the edge of the end of the conducting plate is duct and'so that the interior line of the crosssection of the glass duct corresponds with the flat shape of the conductor; said flat plate conductor having a high fusing point so that it willretain its ribbon-like shape under the high temperature necessary for sealing with g ass.

, 2. An electrodeof'the insulation-covered type, for a"detector of wireless telegraphy oscillations or other .feeble electrical impulses, which comprises a laterally continuous glass duct, and a flati foil plate of' and being exposed from the flush end of the glass conducting material which has a suitable coefficient of expansion and sufficiently lar e cross-sectional. dimensions for sealing with glass, and which is laterally entirely surrounded by the glass duct so that the cillations' or other feeble electrical impulses,

with the glass duct.

being flush with the 1 end of the plate, said lass duct having a thin wall at and near duct itself entirely'sufrrounds the flat sur- .faces and. longitudinal adjacent edges ofthe plate; the adjacent ends of the duct and plate heing fiUSllWltll each other, the lass duct havin'g'a thin wall at and near the'hush end of the conducting late, and said glass duct having itsthin wal sealed with the conducting late at their adjacent lateral sur faces an edges next their flush ends, directly and without any intervening foreign sub,

stance,'so thatonly the thin edge of the end osed from theflush, end of ie conductor of which said point so that it Wil retain its shape as'a plate under the high temperature required for sealing 3. An electrode of the} sulation-covered fora'detectorof Wirelessv telegraphy os- Which comprises a thin'fiat plate of conduct ing material which has a suitable coefficient Iot' expansion and sufhciently large cross-sectional dimensions for sealing with glass, and which has a greater ing in the form of a ribbon;

tinuous glass duct:

length than width, healaterally conextending laterally entirely around said plate; the end of the due? the ushv end of the conducting plate, and

Asaid duct near its lush end having its thin wall sealed to both flat surfaces and both longitudinal edges of the plate, next the flush end of the plate, directly and without any for eign substance betweenthe duct and plate, so that only the thin edge of the end of the plate-is exposed from the flush end of the duct; the conductor of which said plate is. composed having a high fusing point so that it will'retain its shape under the high temi perature required for sealing with the glass .duct',

'4. An e -*type, "for a detector of Wireless telegraphy oslcctrode oi the insulation-covered cillations or other feeble electrical impulses,

which comprises a thin i lat plate of conducting material which has a suitable coeflicient of expansion and 'suihciently large cross-sectional dimensions for sealing with glass, and which has a greater length than width, being from the in the fornrof a ribbon; a laterally continu ous glass duct extending laterally entirely flush with the end of the plate, and said duct 'near its flushlend being sealed to both flat surfaces and both longitudinal edgcs'of the plate, next the flush end of the plate, directly and without any tervening between the duct and plate, so that only the thin edge of the end of the plate is exposed'froni the flush end of the duct; the conductor of which said plate is composed having a high fusing point so that it will retain its shape under the high temperature required for sealing with the glass duct; the ,configuration of the glass duct Where it is sealed to the plate, partaking of the configuration of the plate ,fhut'theuvall of the duct being thinner over the longitudinal edges the plate than over the flat surfaces of the plate. 5. An electrode of the insulation-covered ty e, for a detector of wireless tclegraphy os- -cil ations or other feeble electrical impulses, which comprises a thin flat conducting plate, and a laterally continuous duct of insulating-1uaterial extending laterally entirely tirely surrounds the lateral'ilat surfaces and the longitudinal edges of the plate, the end of the duct being flush with the end of the plate, and the duct and plate being sealed with each other at their adjacent lateral surfaces next their ush ends, directly and without any intervening foreign substance, so that only the ,thin edge of the end of the plate is expose flush end of the duct. 6. An electrode of the insulation-covered chuck said electrode conductor is secured in glass duct having a large and a small opening at the respective ends, the Wall of the larger opening being attached to the shouldered poropening of the end of the conductor,

LEE DE FOREST.

being sealed with the lateralsuriaoe Witnesses M' M. hlACR- AE,

Lns'rnn TEsTUT.

tion of said chuck, and the Wall of the smaller around said plate,the end of the duct being foreign substance in' K] around said plate so that the duct itself en- 'type, for a detector ofwvireless telegraphy cut diameter, to the smaller portion of which good electrical relation therewith; and a 

